1
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Pálla T, Noszál B, Mirzahosseini A. Prediction of Antioxidant Capacity of Thiolate-Disulfide Systems Using Species-Specific Basicity Values. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:1053. [PMID: 39334712 PMCID: PMC11428801 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13091053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The principal reactions that maintain redox homeostasis in living systems are the deprotonation of thiols, followed by the oxidative conversion of the produced thiolates into disulfides, which thus reduce the harmful oxidizing agents. The various biological thiols have different molecule-specific propensities to carry on the co-dependent deprotonation and redox processes. This study utilizes the known correlation between thiolate basicities and oxidizabilities, to quantify antioxidant or reducing capacities and pH-dependences of thiol-disulfide antioxidant systems, as a tool to find adequate molecules against oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Pálla
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Semmelweis University, 1092 Budapest, Hungary; (T.P.); (B.N.)
- Center for Pharmacology and Drug Research & Development, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Béla Noszál
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Semmelweis University, 1092 Budapest, Hungary; (T.P.); (B.N.)
- Center for Pharmacology and Drug Research & Development, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arash Mirzahosseini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Semmelweis University, 1092 Budapest, Hungary; (T.P.); (B.N.)
- Center for Pharmacology and Drug Research & Development, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Ireland KA, Kayrouz CM, Abbott ML, Seyedsayamdost MR, Davis KM. Structural insights into the convergent evolution of sulfoxide synthase EgtB-IV, an ergothioneine-biosynthetic homolog of ovothiol synthase OvoA. Structure 2024:S0969-2126(24)00323-X. [PMID: 39216472 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Non-heme iron-dependent sulfoxide/selenoxide synthases (NHISS) constitute a unique metalloenzyme class capable of installing a C-S/Se bond onto histidine to generate thio/selenoimidazole antioxidants, such as ergothioneine and ovothiol. These natural products are increasingly recognized for their health benefits. Among associated ergothioneine-biosynthetic enzymes, type IV EgtBs stand out, as they exhibit low sequence similarity with other EgtB subfamilies due to their recent divergence from the ovothiol-biosynthetic enzyme OvoA. Herein, we present crystal structures of two representative EgtB-IV enzymes, offering insights into the basis for this evolutionary convergence and enhancing our understanding of NHISS active site organization more broadly. The ability to interpret how key residues modulate substrate specificity and regioselectivity has implications for downstream identification of divergent reactivity within the NHISS family. To this end, we identify a previously unclassified clade of OvoA-like enzymes with a seemingly hybrid set of characteristics, suggesting they may represent an evolutionary intermediate between OvoA and EgtB-IV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra A Ireland
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Chase M Kayrouz
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Marissa L Abbott
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Mohammad R Seyedsayamdost
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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3
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Guo Q, Wang J, Ni C, Pan J, Zou J, Shi Y, Sun J, Zhang X, Wang D, Luan F. Research progress on the natural products in the intervention of myocardial infarction. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1445349. [PMID: 39239656 PMCID: PMC11374734 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1445349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronary heart disease is a prevalent cardiovascular ailment globally, with myocardial infarction (MI) being one of its most severe manifestations. The morbidity and mortality of MI are escalating, showing an increasing trend among younger, highly educated individuals, thereby posing a serious threat to public health. Currently, thrombolysis, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass grafting are the primary clinical treatments for MI. Although these methods significantly reduce patient mortality, complications often result in poor prognoses. Due to limitations in chemical synthetic drug research, the focus has shifted towards developing herbs based on natural substances. Natural medicines represent a novel approach for safer and more effective MI management and treatment. They can control multiple pathogenic variables by targeting various pathways and systems. This paper investigates the molecular mechanisms of MI and evaluates the application of natural products and medicinal plants in MI treatment over the past 5 years, demonstrating their specific good therapeutic potential and superior tolerance. These natural therapies have been shown to mitigate myocardial cell damage caused by MI through mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, myocardial fibrosis, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitophagy, and pyroptosis. This review offers the latest insights into the application of natural products and medicinal plants in MI treatment, elucidating their mechanisms of action and serving as an important reference for MI prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuting Guo
- College of Pharmacy, Xianyang Polytechnic Institute, Xianyang, China
| | - Jinhui Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Caixia Ni
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaojiao Pan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Junbo Zou
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yajun Shi
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaofei Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Deng Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xi'an No. 3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fei Luan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Fundamentals and New Drugs Research, School of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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4
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Ishida K, Litomska A, Dunbar KL, Hertweck C. An Enzymatic Prodrug-like Route to Thio and Selenoamides. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404243. [PMID: 38747847 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
6-Thioguanine (6TG) is a clinically used antitumor agent that was rationally designed as a DNA-targeting antimetabolite, but it also occurs naturally. 6TG is a critical virulence factor produced by Erwinia amylovorans, a notorious plant pathogen that causes fire blight of pome fruit trees. The biosynthesis of the rare thioamide metabolite involves an adenylating enzyme (YcfA) and a sulfur-mobilizing enzyme (YcfC), but the mechanism of sulfur transfer and putative intermediates have remained elusive. Through dissection and in vitro reconstitution of the thionation process using diverse substrates, we uncover an intermediate, prodrug-like thio-conjugate and elucidate the precise enzyme functions. YcfA not only adenylates GMP but also transfers the mercapto group of l-cysteine to the activated carbonyl. A designated C-S lyase (YcfC) then cleaves the resulting S-adduct to yield the thioamide. This pathway is distinct from canonical tRNA sulfur modifications and known enzymatic peptide thionations. By exploring a wide range of substrate surrogates, we exploited the tolerance of the enzyme pair to produce even a seleno analog. This study provides valuable insight into a previously unexplored area of bacterial thioamide formation and lays the groundwork for synthetic biology approaches to produce thioamide antimetabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keishi Ishida
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Litomska
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Kyle L Dunbar
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
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5
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Paris JC, Hei Cheung Y, Zhang T, Chang WC, Liu P, Guo Y. New Frontiers in Nonheme Enzymatic Oxyferryl Species. Chembiochem 2024:e202400307. [PMID: 38900645 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Non-heme mononuclear iron dependent (NHM-Fe) enzymes exhibit exceedingly diverse catalytic reactivities. Despite their catalytic versatilities, the mononuclear iron centers in these enzymes show a relatively simple architecture, in which an iron atom is ligated with 2-4 amino acid residues, including histidine, aspartic or glutamic acid. In the past two decades, a common high-valent reactive iron intermediate, the S=2 oxyferryl (Fe(IV)-oxo or Fe(IV)=O) species, has been repeatedly discovered in NHM-Fe enzymes containing a 2-His-Fe or 2-His-1-carboxylate-Fe center. However, for 3-His/4-His-Fe enzymes, no common reactive intermediate has been identified. Recently, we have spectroscopically characterized the first S=1 Fe(IV) intermediate in a 3-His-Fe containing enzyme, OvoA, which catalyzes a novel oxidative carbon-sulfur bond formation. In this review, we summarize the broad reactivities demonstrated by S=2 Fe(IV)-oxo intermediates, the discovery of the first S=1 Fe(IV) intermediate in OvoA and the mechanistic implication of such a discovery, and the intrinsic reactivity differences of the S=2 and the S=1 Fe(IV)-oxo species. Finally, we postulate the possible reasons to utilize an S=1 Fe(IV) species in OvoA and their implications to other 3-His/4-His-Fe enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared C Paris
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Yuk Hei Cheung
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Wei-Chen Chang
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Pinghua Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yisong Guo
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
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6
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Gao Y, Zhu Y, Awakawa T, Abe I. Unusual cysteine modifications in natural product biosynthesis. RSC Chem Biol 2024; 5:293-311. [PMID: 38576726 PMCID: PMC10989515 DOI: 10.1039/d4cb00020j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
l-Cysteine is a highly reactive amino acid that is modified into a variety of chemical structures, including cysteine sulfinic acid in human metabolic pathways, and sulfur-containing scaffolds of amino acids, alkaloids, and peptides in natural product biosynthesis. Among the modification enzymes responsible for these cysteine-derived compounds, metalloenzymes constitute an important family of enzymes that catalyze a wide variety of reactions. Therefore, understanding their reaction mechanisms is important for the biosynthetic production of cysteine-derived natural products. This review mainly summarizes recent mechanistic investigations of metalloenzymes, with a particular focus on recently discovered mononuclear non-heme iron (NHI) enzymes, dinuclear NHI enzymes, and radical-SAM enzymes involved in unusual cysteine modifications in natural product biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaojie Gao
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
| | - Yuhao Zhu
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
| | - Takayoshi Awakawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Ikuro Abe
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
- Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8657 Japan
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7
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Chen L, Zhang L, Ye X, Deng Z, Zhao C. Ergothioneine and its congeners: anti-ageing mechanisms and pharmacophore biosynthesis. Protein Cell 2024; 15:191-206. [PMID: 37561026 PMCID: PMC10903977 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwad048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ergothioneine, Ovothiol, and Selenoneine are sulfur/selenium-containing histidine-derived natural products widely distributed across different organisms. They exhibit significant antioxidant properties, making them as potential lead compounds for promoting health. Increasing evidence suggests that Ergothioneine is positively correlated with healthy ageing and longevity. The mechanisms underlying Ergothioneine's regulation of the ageing process at cellular and molecular levels are beginning to be understood. In this review, we provide an in-depth and extensive coverage of the anti-ageing studies on Ergothioneine and discuss its possible intracellular targeting pathways. In addition, we highlight the recent efforts in elucidating the biosynthetic details for Ergothioneine, Ovothiol, and Selenoneine, with a particular focus on the study of their pharmacophore-forming enzymology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Liping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xujun Ye
- Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Changming Zhao
- Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
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8
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Rodrigo AP, Moutinho Cabral I, Alexandre A, Costa PM. Exploration of Toxins from a Marine Annelid: An Analysis of Phyllotoxins and Accompanying Bioactives. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:635. [PMID: 38396603 PMCID: PMC10885894 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteinaceous toxins are peptides or proteins that hold great biotechnological value, evidenced by their ecological role, whether as defense or predation mechanisms. Bioprospecting using bioinformatics and omics may render screening for novel bioactives more expeditious, especially considering the immense diversity of toxin-secreting marine organisms. Eulalia sp. (Annelida: Phyllodocidae), a toxin bearing marine annelid, was recently shown to secrete cysteine-rich protein (Crisp) toxins (hitherto referred to as 'phyllotoxins') that can immobilize its prey. By analyzing and validating transcriptomic data, we narrowed the list of isolated full coding sequences of transcripts of the most abundant toxins or accompanying bioactives secreted by the species (the phyllotoxin Crisp, hyaluronidase, serine protease, and peptidases M12A, M13, and M12B). Through homology matching with human proteins, the biotechnological potential of the marine annelid's toxins and related proteins was tentatively associated with coagulative and anti-inflammatory responses for the peptidases PepM12A, SePr, PepM12B, and PepM13, and with the neurotoxic activity of Crisp, and finally, hyaluronidase was inferred to bear properties of an permeabilizing agent. The in silico analysis succeeded by validation by PCR and Sanger sequencing enabled us to retrieve cDNAs can may be used for the heterologous expression of these toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P. Rodrigo
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Inês Moutinho Cabral
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - António Alexandre
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Pedro M. Costa
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
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9
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Luccarini A, Zuccarotto A, Galeazzi R, Morresi C, Masullo M, Castellano I, Damiani E. Insights on the UV-Screening Potential of Marine-Inspired Thiol Compounds. Mar Drugs 2023; 22:2. [PMID: 38276640 PMCID: PMC10817281 DOI: 10.3390/md22010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the major threats to skin aging and the risk of developing skin cancer is excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The use of sunscreens containing different synthetic, organic, and inorganic UVR filters is one of the most widespread defensive measures. However, increasing evidence suggests that some of these compounds are potentially eco-toxic, causing subtle damage to the environment and to marine ecosystems. Resorting to natural products produced in a wide range of marine species to counteract UVR-mediated damage could be an alternative strategy. The present work investigates marine-inspired thiol compounds, derivatives of ovothiol A, isolated from marine invertebrates and known to exhibit unique antioxidant properties. However, their potential use as photoprotective molecules for biocompatible sunscreens and anti-photo aging formulations has not yet been investigated. Here, we report on the UVR absorption properties, photostability, and in vitro UVA shielding activities of two synthetic ovothiol derivatives, 5-thiohistidine and iso-ovothiol A, by spectrophotometric and fluorimetric analysis. We found that the UVA properties of these compounds increase upon exposure to UVA and that their absorption activity is able to screen UVA rays, thus reducing the oxidative damage induced to proteins and lipids. The results of this work demonstrate that these novel marine-inspired compounds could represent an alternative eco-friendly approach for UVR skin protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Luccarini
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (A.L.); (R.G.); (C.M.)
| | - Annalisa Zuccarotto
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy;
| | - Roberta Galeazzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (A.L.); (R.G.); (C.M.)
| | - Camilla Morresi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (A.L.); (R.G.); (C.M.)
| | - Mariorosario Masullo
- Department of Medical, Movement and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy;
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy;
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Damiani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; (A.L.); (R.G.); (C.M.)
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10
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Wang X, Hu S, Wang J, Zhang T, Ye K, Wen A, Zhu G, Vegas A, Zhang L, Yan W, Liu X, Liu P. Biochemical and Structural Characterization of OvoA Th2: A Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Enzyme from Hydrogenimonas thermophila for Ovothiol Biosynthesis. ACS Catal 2023; 13:15417-15426. [PMID: 38058600 PMCID: PMC10696552 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c04026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Ovothiol A and ergothioneine are thiol-histidine derivatives with sulfur substitutions at the δ-carbon or ε-carbon of the l-histidine imidazole ring, respectively. Both ovothiol A and ergothioneine have protective effects on many aging-related diseases, and the sulfur substitution plays a key role in determining their chemical and biological properties, while factors governing sulfur incorporation regioselectivities in ovothiol and ergothioneine biosynthesis in the corresponding enzymes (OvoA, Egt1, or EgtB) are not yet known. In this study, we have successfully obtained the first OvoA crystal structure, which provides critical information to explain their C-S bond formation regioselectivity. Furthermore, OvoATh2 exhibits several additional activities: (1) ergothioneine sulfoxide synthase activity akin to Egt1 in ergothioneine biosynthesis; (2) cysteine dioxygenase activity using l-cysteine and l-histidine analogues as substrates; (3) cysteine dioxygenase activity upon mutation of an active site tyrosine residue (Y406). The structural insights and diverse chemistries demonstrated by OvoATh2 pave the way for future comprehensive structure-function correlation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinye Wang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sha Hu
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Jun Wang
- School
of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Ke Ye
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Aiwen Wen
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Arturo Vegas
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wupeng Yan
- School
of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Pinghua Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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11
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Mitrić A, Castellano I. Targeting gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase: A pleiotropic enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism and in the control of redox homeostasis. Free Radic Biol Med 2023; 208:672-683. [PMID: 37739139 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an enzyme located on the outer membrane of the cells where it regulates the metabolism of glutathione (GSH), the most abundant intracellular antioxidant thiol. GGT plays a key role in the control of redox homeostasis, by hydrolyzing extracellular GSH and providing the cell with the recovery of cysteine, which is necessary for de novo intracellular GSH and protein biosynthesis. Therefore, the upregulation of GGT confers to the cell greater resistance to oxidative stress and the advantage of growing fast. Indeed, GGT is upregulated in inflammatory conditions and in the progression of various human tumors and it is involved in many physiological disorders related to oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Currently, increased GGT expression is considered a marker of liver damage, cancer, and low-grade chronic inflammation. This review addresses the current knowledge on the structure-function relationship of GGT, focusing on human GGT, and provides information on the pleiotropic biological role and relevance of the enzyme as a target of drugs aimed at alleviating oxidative stress-related diseases. The development of new GGT inhibitors is critically discussed, as are the advantages and disadvantages of their potential use in clinics. Considering its pleiotropic activities and evolved functions, GGT is a potential "moonlighting protein".
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Mitrić
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131, Naples, Italy; Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy.
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12
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Shimomura M, Ide K, Sakata J, Tokuyama H. Unified Divergent Total Synthesis of Discorhabdin B, H, K, and Aleutianamine via the Late-Stage Oxidative N,S-Acetal Formation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:18233-18239. [PMID: 37556762 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
This study achieved the total syntheses of (+)-discorhabdin B, (-)-discorhabdin H, (+)-discorhabdin K, and (-)-aleutianamine. A phenethylamine fragment bearing a o-pivaloylthio group, corresponding to the D/E/G ring moiety, was prepared from benzothiophen-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester and condensed with a known pyrroloiminoquinone derivative. The adduct was subjected to [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene (PIFA)-promoted oxidative spirocyclization to furnish the A/B/C/D/E spirocyclohexadienone fused with pyrroloiminoquinone. The total synthesis of (±)-discorhabdin B was completed via the key construction of the highly strained G ring with the N,S-acetal moiety featuring a newly developed CuBr2-mediated oxidative cascade cyclization. The stereocontrolled total synthesis of (+)-discorhabdin B was accomplished by a diastereoselective PIFA-promoted oxidative spirocyclization using a chiral thioester. (-)-Disocrhabdin H and (+)-discorhabdin K were synthesized by the site- and face-selective thia-Michael addition of l-ovothiol A to (+)-N-Ts-discorhabdin B with the concomitant formation of the F ring by forming the C2-N18 bond. The total synthesis of (-)-aleutianamine was achieved via a skeletal rearrangement initiated by the Luche reduction of the dienone moiety of (+)-N-Ts-discorhabdin B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Shimomura
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-3, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Kohta Ide
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-3, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Juri Sakata
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-3, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Tokuyama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-3, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
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13
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Ferreira-Cravo M, Moreira DC, Hermes-Lima M. Glutathione Depletion Disrupts Redox Homeostasis in an Anoxia-Tolerant Invertebrate. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1197. [PMID: 37371926 PMCID: PMC10294987 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The upregulation of endogenous antioxidants is a widespread phenomenon in animals that tolerate hypoxia/anoxia for extended periods. The identity of the mobilized antioxidant is often context-dependent and differs among species, tissues, and stresses. Thus, the contribution of individual antioxidants to the adaptation to oxygen deprivation remains elusive. This study investigated the role of glutathione (GSH) in the control of redox homeostasis under the stress of anoxia and reoxygenation in Helix aspersa, an animal model of anoxia tolerance. To do so, the total GSH (tGSH) pool was depleted with l-buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine (BSO) before exposing snails to anoxia for 6 h. Then, the concentration of GSH, glutathione disulfide (GSSG), and oxidative stress markers (TBARS and protein carbonyl) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione transferase, glutathione reductase, and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) were measured in foot muscle and hepatopancreas. BSO alone induced tGSH depletion by 59-75%, but no other changes happened in other variables, except for foot GSSG. Anoxia elicited a 110-114% increase in glutathione peroxidase in the foot; no other changes occurred during anoxia. However, GSH depletion before anoxia increased the GSSG/tGSH ratio by 84-90% in both tissues, which returned to baseline levels during reoxygenation. Our findings indicate that glutathione is required to withstand the oxidative challenge induced by hypoxia and reoxygenation in land snails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlize Ferreira-Cravo
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
- Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Daniel C. Moreira
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
- Research Center in Morphology and Applied Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Hermes-Lima
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
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14
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Russo MT, Santin A, Zuccarotto A, Leone S, Palumbo A, Ferrante MI, Castellano I. The first genetic engineered system for ovothiol biosynthesis in diatoms reveals a mitochondrial localization for the sulfoxide synthase OvoA. Open Biol 2023; 13:220309. [PMID: 36722300 PMCID: PMC9890322 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Diatoms represent one of the most abundant groups of microalgae in the ocean and are responsible for approximately 20% of photosynthetically fixed CO2 on Earth. Due to their complex evolutionary history and ability to adapt to different environments, diatoms are endowed with striking molecular biodiversity and unique metabolic activities. Their high growth rate and the possibility to optimize their biomass make them very promising 'biofactories' for biotechnological applications. Among bioactive compounds, diatoms can produce ovothiols, histidine-derivatives, endowed with unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and occurring in many marine invertebrates, bacteria and pathogenic protozoa. However, the functional role of ovothiols biosynthesis in organisms remains almost unexplored. In this work, we have characterized the thiol fraction of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, providing the first evidence of the presence of ovothiol B in pennate diatoms. We have used P. tricornutum to overexpress the 5-histidylcysteine sulfoxide synthase ovoA, the gene encoding the key enzyme involved in ovothiol biosynthesis and we have discovered that OvoA localizes in the mitochondria, a finding that uncovers new concepts in cellular redox biochemistry. We have also obtained engineered biolistic clones that can produce higher amount of ovothiol B compared to wild-type cells, suggesting a new strategy for the eco-sustainable production of these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monia Teresa Russo
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Santin
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Annalisa Zuccarotto
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Leone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Immacolata Ferrante
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
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15
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Wu P, Gu Y, Liao L, Wu Y, Jin J, Wang Z, Zhou J, Shaik S, Wang B. Coordination Switch Drives Selective C−S Bond Formation by the Non‐Heme Sulfoxide Synthases**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202214235. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202214235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Ningxia University Yinchuan 750021 China
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Yang Gu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicine Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Langxing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Yanfei Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicine Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Jiaoyu Jin
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicine Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Zhanfeng Wang
- Center for Advanced Materials Research Beijing Normal University Zhuhai 519087 China
| | - Jiahai Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Intelligent Microbial Manufacturing of Medicine Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Sason Shaik
- Institute of Chemistry The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 9190401 Israel
| | - Binju Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
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16
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Brancaccio M, Milito A, Viegas CA, Palumbo A, Simes DC, Castellano I. First evidence of dermo-protective activity of marine sulfur-containing histidine compounds. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 192:224-234. [PMID: 36174879 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Among natural products, ovothiol (ovo), produced by marine invertebrates, bacteria, and microalgae, is receiving increasing interest for its unique antioxidant properties. Recently, ovo has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in an in vitro model of endothelial dysfunction and in an in vivo model of liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ovo and its precursor 5-thiohistidine (5-thio) in comparison with ergothioneine (erg), in human skin cells and tissues upon inflammation. We used both an in vitro and ex vivo model of human skin, represented by a keratinocytes cell line (HaCaT) and skin biopsies, respectively. We observed that ovo, 5-thio, and erg were not cytotoxic in HaCaT cells, but instead exerted a protective function against TNF-α -induced inflammation. In order to get insights on their mechanism of action, we performed western blot analysis of ERK and JNK, as well as sub-cellular localization of Nrf2, a key mediator of the anti-inflammatory response. The results indicated that the pre-treatment with ovo, 5-thio, and erg differently affected the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK. However, all the three molecules promoted the accumulation of Nrf2 in the nucleus of HaCaT cells. In addition, gene expression analysis by RTqPCR and ELISA assays performed in ex vivo human skin tissues pre-treated with thiohistidines and then inflamed with IL-1β revealed a significant downregulation of IL-8, TNF-α and COX-2 genes and a concomitant significant decrease in the cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α production. Moreover, the protective action of ovo and 5-thio resulted to be stronger when compared with dexamethasone, a corticosteroid drug currently used to treat skin inflammatory conditions. Our findings suggest that ovo and 5-thio can ameliorate skin damage and may be used to develop natural skin care products to prevent the inflammatory status induced by environmental stressors and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariarita Brancaccio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonsina Milito
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics - CRAG, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carla Alexandra Viegas
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; GenoGla Diagnostics, Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Dina Costa Simes
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; GenoGla Diagnostics, Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131, Naples, Italy; Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy.
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17
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Mohammed EN, Soliman AM, Mohamed AS. Modulatory effect of
Ovothiol‐A
on myocardial infarction induced by epinephrine in rats. J Food Biochem 2022; 46:e14296. [DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.14296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Amel M. Soliman
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science Cairo University Giza Egypt
| | - Ayman S. Mohamed
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science Cairo University Giza Egypt
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18
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Ali V, Behera S, Nawaz A, Equbal A, Pandey K. Unique thiol metabolism in trypanosomatids: Redox homeostasis and drug resistance. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2022; 117:75-155. [PMID: 35878950 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are mainly responsible for heterogeneous parasitic diseases: Leishmaniasis, Sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease and control of these diseases implicates serious challenges due to the emergence of drug resistance. Redox-active biomolecules are the endogenous substances in organisms, which play important role in the regulation of redox homeostasis. The redox-active substances like glutathione, trypanothione, cysteine, cysteine persulfides, etc., and other inorganic intermediates (hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide) are very useful as defence mechanism. In the present review, the suitability of trypanothione and other essential thiol molecules of trypanosomatids as drug targets are described in Leishmania and Trypanosoma. We have explored the role of tryparedoxin, tryparedoxin peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and glutaredoxins in the anti-oxidant mechanism and drug resistance. Up-regulation of some proteins in trypanothione metabolism helps the parasites in survival against drug pressure (sodium stibogluconate, Amphotericin B, etc.) and oxidative stress. These molecules accept electrons from the reduced trypanothione and donate their electrons to other proteins, and these proteins reduce toxic molecules, neutralize reactive oxygen, or nitrogen species; and help parasites to cope with oxidative stress. Thus, a better understanding of the role of these molecules in drug resistance and redox homeostasis will help to target metabolic pathway proteins to combat Leishmaniasis and trypanosomiases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahab Ali
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India.
| | - Sachidananda Behera
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Afreen Nawaz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Asif Equbal
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India; Department of Botany, Araria College, Purnea University, Purnia, Bihar, India
| | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Clinical Medicine, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India
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19
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Mahmoud Kh N, Refaat She M, Saber Moha A, Mohamed El M. Ovothiol-A Ameliorates Renal Injury Induced by Bile Duct Ligation in Rats (Biological, Quantum-Chemical and Molecular Docking Study). INT J PHARMACOL 2022. [DOI: 10.3923/ijp.2022.1210.1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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20
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Cordell GA, Lamahewage SNS. Ergothioneine, Ovothiol A, and Selenoneine-Histidine-Derived, Biologically Significant, Trace Global Alkaloids. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27092673. [PMID: 35566030 PMCID: PMC9103826 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The history, chemistry, biology, and biosynthesis of the globally occurring histidine-derived alkaloids ergothioneine (10), ovothiol A (11), and selenoneine (12) are reviewed comparatively and their significance to human well-being is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey A. Cordell
- Natural Products Inc., Evanston, IL 60202, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Sujeewa N. S. Lamahewage
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA;
- Department of Chemistry, University of Ruhuna, Matara 81000, Sri Lanka
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21
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A Survey on the Distribution of Ovothiol and ovoA Gene Expression in Different Tissues and Cells: A Comparative Analysis in Sea Urchins and Mussels. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20040268. [PMID: 35447941 PMCID: PMC9029387 DOI: 10.3390/md20040268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovothiols are histidine-derived thiols produced by a variety of marine invertebrates, protists and bacteria. These compounds, which are among the strongest natural antioxidants, are involved in controlling the cellular redox balance due to their redox exchange with glutathione. Although ovothiols were initially reported as protective agents against environmental stressors, new evidence suggests that they can also act as pheromones and participate in fundamental biological processes such as embryogenesis. To get further insight into the biological roles of ovothiols, we compared ovothiol biosynthesis in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, the two species that represent the richest sources of these compounds among marine invertebrates. Ovothiol content was measured in different tissues and in the immune cells from both species and the expression levels of ovoA, the gene responsible for ovothiol biosynthesis, was inferred from publicly available transcriptomes. A comparative analysis of ovothiol biosynthesis in the two species allowed the identification of the tissues and cells synthesizing the metabolite and highlighted analogies and differences between sea urchins and mussels. By improving our knowledge on the biological roles of ovothiols and pointing out the existence of sustainable natural sources for their isolation, this study provides the basis for future biotechnological investigations on these valuable compounds.
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22
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Sakato-Antoku M, King SM. Developmental Changes in Ciliary Composition during Gametogenesis in Chlamydomonas. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:br10. [PMID: 35389765 PMCID: PMC9561859 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-02-0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii transitions from mitotically dividing vegetative cells to sexually competent gametes of two distinct mating types following nutrient deprivation. Gametes of opposite mating type interact via their cilia, initiating an intraciliary signaling cascade and ultimately fuse forming diploid zygotes. The process of gametogenesis is genetically encode, and a previous study revealed numerous significant changes in mRNA abundance during this life-cycle transition. Here we describe a proteomic analysis of cilia derived from vegetative and gametic cells of both mating types in an effort to assess the global changes that occur within the organelle during this process. We identify numerous membrane- and/or matrix-associated proteins in gametic cilia that were not detected in cilia from vegetative cells. This includes the pro-protein from which the GATI-amide gametic chemotactic modulator derives, as well as receptors, a dynamin-related protein, ammonium transporters, two proteins potentially involved in the intraciliary signaling cascade-driven increase in cAMP, and multiple proteins with a variety of interaction domains. These changes in ciliary composition likely directly affect the functional properties of this organelle as the cell transitions between life-cycle stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miho Sakato-Antoku
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3305, USA
| | - Stephen M King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3305, USA
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23
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Cheng R, Weitz AC, Paris J, Tang Y, Zhang J, Song H, Naowarojna N, Li K, Qiao L, Lopez J, Grinstaff MW, Zhang L, Guo Y, Elliott S, Liu P. OvoA Mtht from Methyloversatilis thermotolerans ovothiol biosynthesis is a bifunction enzyme: thiol oxygenase and sulfoxide synthase activities. Chem Sci 2022; 13:3589-3598. [PMID: 35432880 PMCID: PMC8943887 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc05479a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes are a large class of enzymes catalyzing a wide-range of reactions. In this work, we report that a non-heme iron enzyme in Methyloversatilis thermotolerans, OvoAMtht, has two different activities, as a thiol oxygenase and a sulfoxide synthase. When cysteine is presented as the only substrate, OvoAMtht is a thiol oxygenase. In the presence of both histidine and cysteine as substrates, OvoAMtht catalyzes the oxidative coupling between histidine and cysteine (a sulfoxide synthase). Additionally, we demonstrate that both substrates and the active site iron's secondary coordination shell residues exert exquisite control over the dual activities of OvoAMtht (sulfoxide synthase vs. thiol oxygenase activities). OvoAMtht is an excellent system for future detailed mechanistic investigation on how metal ligands and secondary coordination shell residues fine-tune the iron-center electronic properties to achieve different reactivities. Modulation of OvoAMtht's dual activities: sulfoxide synthase and thiol oxygenase.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronghai Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Andrew C Weitz
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Jared Paris
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University 4400 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh PA 1521 USA
| | - Yijie Tang
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University 4400 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh PA 1521 USA
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology 130 Meilong Rd Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Heng Song
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Nathchar Naowarojna
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Kelin Li
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Lu Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Juan Lopez
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Mark W Grinstaff
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology 130 Meilong Rd Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Yisong Guo
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University 4400 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh PA 1521 USA
| | - Sean Elliott
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Pinghua Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University 590 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215 USA
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24
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Milito A, Cocurullo M, Columbro A, Nonnis S, Tedeschi G, Castellano I, Arnone MI, Palumbo A. Ovothiol ensures the correct developmental programme of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus embryo. Open Biol 2022; 12:210262. [PMID: 35042403 PMCID: PMC8767189 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovothiols are π-methyl-5-thiohistidines produced in great amounts in sea urchin eggs, where they can act as protective agents against the oxidative burst at fertilization and environmental stressors during development. Here we examined the biological relevance of ovothiol during the embryogenesis of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus by assessing the localization of the key biosynthetic enzyme OvoA, both at transcript and protein level, and perturbing its protein translation by morpholino antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown experiments. In addition, we explored the possible involvement of ovothiol in the inflammatory response by assessing ovoA gene expression and protein localization following exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. The results of the present study suggest that ovothiol may be a key regulator of cell proliferation in early developing embryos. Moreover, the localization of OvoA in key larval cells and tissues, in control and inflammatory conditions, suggests that ovothiol may ensure larval skeleton formation and mediate inflammatory processes triggered by bacterial infection. This work significantly contributes to the understanding of the biological function of ovothiols in marine organisms, and may provide new inspiration for the identification of the biological activities of ovothiols in humans, considering the pharmacological potential of these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Cocurullo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfredo Columbro
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Nonnis
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIMEVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,CRC 'Innovation for Well-Being and Environment' (I-WE), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriella Tedeschi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIMEVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,CRC 'Innovation for Well-Being and Environment' (I-WE), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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Cui CY, Li B, Cheng D, Li XY, Chen JL, Chen YT, Su XC. Simultaneous Quantification of Biothiols and Deciphering Diverse GSH Stability in Different Live Cells by 19F-Tag. Anal Chem 2021; 94:901-908. [PMID: 34958555 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
GSH, Cys, Hcy, and H2S are important biothiols and play important roles in the living systems. Quantitative and simultaneous determination of these biothiols under physiological conditions is still a challenge. Herein, we developed an effective 19F-reactive tag that readily interacts with these four biothiols for the generation of stable thioether products that have distinguishable 19F-chemical shifts. These thioester compounds encode the characteristic fingerprint profiles of each biothiols, allowing one to simultaneously quantify and determine these biothiols by 1D 19F NMR spectroscopy. The intra-/extracellular GSH in live cells was assessed by the established strategy, and remarkable variations in the GSH stability were determined between the normal mammalian cells and cancer cells. It is notable that GSH hydrolyzes efficiently in the out-membrane of the cancer cells and the lysates. In contrast, GSH remains stable in the tested normal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Yu Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xia-Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jia-Liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ya-Ting Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xun-Cheng Su
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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First Report of OvoA Gene in Marine Arthropods: A New Candidate Stress Biomarker in Copepods. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19110647. [PMID: 34822518 PMCID: PMC8623360 DOI: 10.3390/md19110647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovothiol is one of the most powerful antioxidants acting in marine organisms as a defense against oxidative stress during development and in response to environmental cues. The gene involved in the ovothiol biosynthesis, OvoA, is found in almost all metazoans, but open questions existed on its presence among arthropods. Here, using an in silico workflow, we report a single OvoA gene in marine arthropods including copepods, decapods, and amphipods. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that OvoA from marine arthropods separated from the other marine phyla (e.g., Porifera, Mollusca) and divided into two separate branches, suggesting a possible divergence through evolution. In the copepod Calanus finmarchicus, we suggest that OvoA has a defense role in oxidative stress as shown by its high expression in response to a toxic diet and during the copepodite stage, a developmental stage that includes significant morphological changes. Overall, the results of our study open possibilities for the use of OvoA as a biomarker of stress in copepods and possibly also for other marine holozooplankters. The finding of OvoA in copepods is also promising for the drug discovery field, suggesting the possibility of using copepods as a new source of bioactive compounds to be tested in the marine biotechnological sector.
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Osik NA, Zelentsova EA, Tsentalovich YP. Kinetic Studies of Antioxidant Properties of Ovothiol A. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10091470. [PMID: 34573105 PMCID: PMC8470380 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovothiol A (OSH) is one of the strongest natural antioxidants. So far, its presence was found in tissues of marine invertebrates, algae and fish. Due to very low pKa value of the SH group, under physiological conditions, this compound is almost entirely present in chemically active thiolate form and reacts with ROS and radicals significantly faster than other natural thiols. In biological systems, OSH acts in tandem with glutathione GSH, with OSH neutralizing oxidants and GSH maintaining ovothiol in the reduced state. In the present work, we report the rate constants of OSH oxidation by H2O2 and of reduction of oxidized ovothiol OSSO by GSH and we estimate the Arrhenius parameters for these rate constants. The absorption spectra of reaction intermediates, adduct OSSG and sulfenic acid OSOH, were obtained. We also found that OSH effectively quenches the triplet state of kynurenic acid with an almost diffusion-controlled rate constant. This finding indicates that OSH may serve as a good photoprotector to inhibit the deleterious effect of solar UV irradiation; this assumption explains the high concentrations of OSH in the fish lens. The unique antioxidant and photoprotecting properties of OSH open promising perspectives for its use in the treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya A. Osik
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (N.A.O.); (E.A.Z.)
- Physical Department, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina A. Zelentsova
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (N.A.O.); (E.A.Z.)
- Physical Department, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Yuri P. Tsentalovich
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (N.A.O.); (E.A.Z.)
- Physical Department, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
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Brancaccio M, Tangherlini M, Danovaro R, Castellano I. Metabolic adaptations to marine environments: molecular diversity and evolution of ovothiol biosynthesis in Bacteria. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6323227. [PMID: 34272861 PMCID: PMC8433421 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovothiols are sulfur-containing amino acids synthesized by marine invertebrates, protozoans, and bacteria. They act as pleiotropic molecules in signaling and protection against oxidative stress. The discovery of ovothiol biosynthetic enzymes, sulfoxide synthase OvoA and β-lyase OvoB, paves the way for a systematic investigation of ovothiol distribution and molecular diversification in nature. In this work, we conducted genomic and metagenomics data mining to investigate the distribution and diversification of ovothiol biosynthetic enzymes in Bacteria. We identified the bacteria endowed with this secondary metabolic pathway, described their taxonomy, habitat and biotic interactions in order to provide insight into their adaptation to specific environments. We report that OvoA and OvoB are mostly encountered in marine aerobic Proteobacteria, some of them establishing symbiotic or parasitic relationships with other organisms. We identified a horizontal gene transfer event of OvoB from Bacteroidetes living in symbiosis with Hydrozoa. Our search within the Ocean Gene Atlas revealed the occurrence of ovothiol biosynthetic genes in Proteobacteria living in a wide range of pelagic and highly oxygenated environments. Finally, we tracked the evolutionary history of ovothiol biosynthesis from marine bacteria to unicellular eukaryotes and metazoans. Our analysis provides new conceptual elements to unravel the evolutionary and ecological significance of ovothiol biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariarita Brancaccio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Michael Tangherlini
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Fano Marine Centre, Fano, Italy
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.,Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Naples, Italy
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Milito A, Castellano I, Damiani E. From Sea to Skin: Is There a Future for Natural Photoprotectants? Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19070379. [PMID: 34209059 PMCID: PMC8303403 DOI: 10.3390/md19070379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, the thinning of the ozone layer due to increased atmospheric pollution has exacerbated the negative effects of excessive exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and skin cancer has become a major public health concern. In order to prevent skin damage, public health advice mainly focuses on the use of sunscreens, along with wearing protective clothing and avoiding sun exposure during peak hours. Sunscreens present on the market are topical formulations that contain a number of different synthetic, organic, and inorganic UVR filters with different absorbance profiles, which, when combined, provide broad UVR spectrum protection. However, increased evidence suggests that some of these compounds cause subtle damage to marine ecosystems. One alternative may be the use of natural products that are produced in a wide range of marine species and are mainly thought to act as a defense against UVR-mediated damage. However, their potential for human photoprotection is largely under-investigated. In this review, attention has been placed on the molecular strategies adopted by marine organisms to counteract UVR-induced negative effects and we provide a broad portrayal of the recent literature concerning marine-derived natural products having potential as natural sunscreens/photoprotectants for human skin. Their chemical structure, UVR absorption properties, and their pleiotropic role as bioactive molecules are discussed. Most studies strongly suggest that these natural products could be promising for use in biocompatible sunscreens and may represent an alternative eco-friendly approach to protect humans against UV-induced skin damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Department of Molecular Genetics, Cerdanyola, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Napoli, Italy
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy
- Correspondence: (I.C.); (E.D.)
| | - Elisabetta Damiani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of the Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
- Correspondence: (I.C.); (E.D.)
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30
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Lin Z, Torres JP, Watkins M, Paguigan N, Niu C, Imperial JS, Tun J, Safavi-Hemami H, Finol-Urdaneta RK, Neves JLB, Espino S, Karthikeyan M, Olivera BM, Schmidt EW. Non-Peptidic Small Molecule Components from Cone Snail Venoms. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:655981. [PMID: 34054536 PMCID: PMC8155685 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.655981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Venomous molluscs (Superfamily Conoidea) comprise a substantial fraction of tropical marine biodiversity (>15,000 species). Prior characterization of cone snail venoms established that bioactive venom components used to capture prey, defend against predators and for competitive interactions were relatively small, structured peptides (10–35 amino acids), most with multiple disulfide crosslinks. These venom components (“conotoxins, conopeptides”) have been widely studied in many laboratories, leading to pharmaceutical agents and probes. In this review, we describe how it has recently become clear that to varying degrees, cone snail venoms also contain bioactive non-peptidic small molecule components. Since the initial discovery of genuanine as the first bioactive venom small molecule with an unprecedented structure, a broad set of cone snail venoms have been examined for non-peptidic bioactive components. In particular, a basal clade of cone snails (Stephanoconus) that prey on polychaetes produce genuanine and many other small molecules in their venoms, suggesting that this lineage may be a rich source of non-peptidic cone snail venom natural products. In contrast to standing dogma in the field that peptide and proteins are predominantly used for prey capture in cone snails, these small molecules also contribute to prey capture and push the molecular diversity of cone snails beyond peptides. The compounds so far characterized are active on neurons and thus may potentially serve as leads for neuronal diseases. Thus, in analogy to the incredible pharmacopeia resulting from studying venom peptides, these small molecules may provide a new resource of pharmacological agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjian Lin
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Joshua P Torres
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Maren Watkins
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Noemi Paguigan
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Changshan Niu
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Julita S Imperial
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Jortan Tun
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Helena Safavi-Hemami
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rocio K Finol-Urdaneta
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Jorge L B Neves
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, CIIMAR/ CIMAR, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Samuel Espino
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Manju Karthikeyan
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Baldomero M Olivera
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Eric W Schmidt
- Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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31
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Ekanayake DM, Fischer AA, Elwood ME, Guzek AM, Lindeman SV, Popescu CV, Fiedler AT. Nonheme iron-thiolate complexes as structural models of sulfoxide synthase active sites. Dalton Trans 2020; 49:17745-17757. [PMID: 33241840 PMCID: PMC7781232 DOI: 10.1039/d0dt03403g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Two mononuclear iron(ii)-thiolate complexes have been prepared that represent structural models of the nonheme iron enzymes EgtB and OvoA, which catalyze the O2-dependent formation of carbon-sulfur bonds in the biosynthesis of thiohistidine compounds. The series of Fe(ii) complexes reported here feature tripodal N4 chelates (LA and LB) that contain both pyridyl and imidazolyl donors (LA = (1H-imidazol-4-yl)-N,N-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)methanamine; LB = N,N-bis((1-methylimidazol-2-yl)methyl)-2-pyridylmethylamine). Further coordination with monodentate aromatic or aliphatic thiolate ligands yielded the five-coordinate, high-spin Fe(ii) complexes [FeII(LA)(SMes)]BPh4 (1) and [FeII(LB)(SCy)]BPh4 (2), where SMes = 2,4,6-trimethylthiophenolate and SCy = cyclohexanethiolate. X-ray crystal structures revealed that 1 and 2 possess trigonal bipyramidal geometries formed by the N4S ligand set. In each case, the thiolate ligand is positioned cis to an imidazole donor, replicating the arrangement of Cys- and His-based substrates in the active site of EgtB. The geometric and electronic structures of 1 and 2 were analyzed with UV-vis absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies in tandem with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Exposure of 1 and 2 to nitric oxide (NO) yielded six-coordinate FeNO adducts that were characterized with infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, confirming that these complexes are capable of binding diatomic molecules. Reaction of 1 and 2 with O2 causes oxidation of the thiolate ligands to disulfide products. The implications of these results for the development of functional models of EgtB and OvoA are discussed.
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32
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Borodina I, Kenny LC, McCarthy CM, Paramasivan K, Pretorius E, Roberts TJ, van der Hoek SA, Kell DB. The biology of ergothioneine, an antioxidant nutraceutical. Nutr Res Rev 2020; 33:190-217. [PMID: 32051057 PMCID: PMC7653990 DOI: 10.1017/s0954422419000301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ergothioneine (ERG) is an unusual thio-histidine betaine amino acid that has potent antioxidant activities. It is synthesised by a variety of microbes, especially fungi (including in mushroom fruiting bodies) and actinobacteria, but is not synthesised by plants and animals who acquire it via the soil and their diet, respectively. Animals have evolved a highly selective transporter for it, known as solute carrier family 22, member 4 (SLC22A4) in humans, signifying its importance, and ERG may even have the status of a vitamin. ERG accumulates differentially in various tissues, according to their expression of SLC22A4, favouring those such as erythrocytes that may be subject to oxidative stress. Mushroom or ERG consumption seems to provide significant prevention against oxidative stress in a large variety of systems. ERG seems to have strong cytoprotective status, and its concentration is lowered in a number of chronic inflammatory diseases. It has been passed as safe by regulatory agencies, and may have value as a nutraceutical and antioxidant more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Borodina
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Chemitorvet 200, Technical University of Denmark, 2800Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Louise C. Kenny
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, LiverpoolL8 7SS, UK
| | - Cathal M. McCarthy
- Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork, Republic of Ireland
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland
| | - Kalaivani Paramasivan
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Chemitorvet 200, Technical University of Denmark, 2800Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1 Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Timothy J. Roberts
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1 Matieland, 7602, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, LiverpoolL69 7ZB, UK
| | - Steven A. van der Hoek
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Chemitorvet 200, Technical University of Denmark, 2800Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Douglas B. Kell
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Chemitorvet 200, Technical University of Denmark, 2800Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1 Matieland, 7602, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, LiverpoolL69 7ZB, UK
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Structural basis of ergothioneine biosynthesis. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 65:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Francioso A, Baseggio Conrado A, Mosca L, Fontana M. Chemistry and Biochemistry of Sulfur Natural Compounds: Key Intermediates of Metabolism and Redox Biology. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:8294158. [PMID: 33062147 PMCID: PMC7545470 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8294158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Sulfur contributes significantly to nature chemical diversity and thanks to its particular features allows fundamental biological reactions that no other element allows. Sulfur natural compounds are utilized by all living beings and depending on the function are distributed in the different kingdoms. It is no coincidence that marine organisms are one of the most important sources of sulfur natural products since most of the inorganic sulfur is metabolized in ocean environments where this element is abundant. Terrestrial organisms such as plants and microorganisms are also able to incorporate sulfur in organic molecules to produce primary metabolites (e.g., methionine, cysteine) and more complex unique chemical structures with diverse biological roles. Animals are not able to fix inorganic sulfur into biomolecules and are completely dependent on preformed organic sulfurous compounds to satisfy their sulfur needs. However, some higher species such as humans are able to build new sulfur-containing chemical entities starting especially from plants' organosulfur precursors. Sulfur metabolism in humans is very complicated and plays a central role in redox biochemistry. The chemical properties, the large number of oxidation states, and the versatile reactivity of the oxygen family chalcogens make sulfur ideal for redox biological reactions and electron transfer processes. This review will explore sulfur metabolism related to redox biochemistry and will describe the various classes of sulfur-containing compounds spread all over the natural kingdoms. We will describe the chemistry and the biochemistry of well-known metabolites and also of the unknown and poorly studied sulfur natural products which are still in search for a biological role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Francioso
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, 38296 Tenerife, Spain
| | - Alessia Baseggio Conrado
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Luciana Mosca
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Fontana
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Dyshlovoy SA. Blue-Print Autophagy in 2020: A Critical Review. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18090482. [PMID: 32967369 PMCID: PMC7551687 DOI: 10.3390/md18090482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an elegant and complex biological process that has recently attracted much attention from the scientific community. The compounds which are capable of control and modulation of this process have a promising potential as therapeutics for a number of pathological conditions, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. At the same time, due to the relatively young age of the field, there are still some pitfalls in the autophagy monitoring assays and interpretation of the experimental data. This critical review provides an overview of the marine natural compounds, which have been reported to affect autophagy. The time period from the beginning of 2016 to the middle of 2020 is covered. Additionally, the published data and conclusions based on the experimental results are re-analyzed with regard to the guidelines developed by Klionsky and colleagues (Autophagy. 2016; 12(1): 1–222), which are widely accepted by the autophagy research community. Remarkably and surprisingly, more than half of the compounds reported to be autophagy activators or inhibitors could not ultimately be assigned to either category. The experimental data reported for those substances could indicate both autophagy activation and inhibition, requiring further investigation. Thus, the reviewed molecules were divided into two groups: having validated and non-validated autophagy modulatory effects. This review gives an analysis of the recent updates in the field and raises an important problem of standardization in the experimental design and data interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey A Dyshlovoy
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia
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Milito A, Orefice I, Smerilli A, Castellano I, Napolitano A, Brunet C, Palumbo A. Insights into the Light Response of Skeletonema marinoi: Involvement of Ovothiol. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18090477. [PMID: 32962291 PMCID: PMC7551349 DOI: 10.3390/md18090477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diatoms are one of the most widespread groups of microalgae on Earth. They possess extraordinary metabolic capabilities, including a great ability to adapt to different light conditions. Recently, we have discovered that the diatom Skeletonema marinoi produces the natural antioxidant ovothiol B, until then identified only in clams. In this study, we investigated the light-dependent modulation of ovothiol biosynthesis in S. marinoi. Diatoms were exposed to different light conditions, ranging from prolonged darkness to low or high light, also differing in the velocity of intensity increase (sinusoidal versus square-wave distribution). The expression of the gene encoding the key ovothiol biosynthetic enzyme, ovoA, was upregulated by high sinusoidal light mimicking natural conditions. Under this situation higher levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide as well as ovothiol and glutathione increase were detected. No ovoA modulation was observed under prolonged darkness nor low sinusoidal light. Unnatural conditions such as continuous square-wave light induced a very high oxidative stress leading to a drop in cell growth, without enhancing ovoA gene expression. Only one of the inducible forms of nitric oxide synthase, nos2, was upregulated by light with consequent production of NO under sinusoidal light and darkness conditions. Our data suggest that ovothiol biosynthesis is triggered by a combined light stress caused by natural distribution and increased photon flux density, with no influence from the daily light dose. These results open new perspectives for the biotechnological production of ovothiols, which are receiving a great interest for their biological activities in human model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Cerdanyola, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: or (A.M.); (A.P.); Tel.: +39-081-5833 (ext. 293/276) (A.M.)
| | - Ida Orefice
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; (I.O.); (A.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Arianna Smerilli
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; (I.O.); (A.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Napolitano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Christophe Brunet
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; (I.O.); (A.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
- Correspondence: or (A.M.); (A.P.); Tel.: +39-081-5833 (ext. 293/276) (A.M.)
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Milito A, Murano C, Castellano I, Romano G, Palumbo A. Antioxidant and immune response of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus to different re-suspension patterns of highly polluted marine sediments. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 160:104978. [PMID: 32291250 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Marine pollution due to disused industrial activities is a major threat to ecosystems and human health, for example through the effects of re-suspension of toxic substances that are present in contaminated sediments. Here, we examined the effects of different re-suspension patterns of polluted sediments from the site of national interest Bagnoli-Coroglio, on the immune system of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. An indoor experiment was set up exposing sea urchins for 34 days to such sediments and evaluating the effects of two patterns of water turbulence, mimicking natural storms at sea. One group of animals experienced an "aggregated" pattern of turbulence, consisting in two events, each lasting 2 days, separated by only 3 calm days, while a second group experienced two events of turbulence separated by 17 calm days (spaced pattern). At different times from the beginning of the experiment, coelomic fluid was collected from the animals and immune cells were examined for cell count and morphology, oxidative stress variables, and expression of genes involved in metal detoxification, stress response and inflammation. Our results highlighted that the aggregated pattern of turbulence was more noxious for sea urchins. Indeed, their immune system was altered, over the exposure time, as indicated by the increase of red amoebocytes number. Moreover, despite of an increase of the antioxidant power, animals from this group displayed a very significant ROS over-production at the end of the experiment. Conversely, animals in the spaced condition activated a different immune response, mainly having phagocytes as actors, and were able to partially recover from the received stress at the end of the experiment. No changes in the expression of genes related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses were observed in both groups. By contrast, a down-regulation of various metallothioneins (4, 6, 7 and 8) in the group subjected to aggregated pattern was observed, while metallothionein 8 was up-regulated in the animals from the group exposed to the spaced pattern of turbulence. This work provides the first evidence of how sea urchins can respond to different re-suspension patterns of polluted sediments by modulating their immune system functions. The present data are relevant in relation to the possible environmental restoration of the study site, whose priorities include the assessment of the effects of marine pollution on local organisms, among which P. lividus represents a key benthic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Carola Murano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy; Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Romano
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
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Abdelhameed RFA, Eltamany EE, Hal DM, Ibrahim AK, AboulMagd AM, Al-Warhi T, Youssif KA, Abd El-Kader AM, Hassanean HA, Fayez S, Bringmann G, Ahmed SA, Abdelmohsen UR. New Cytotoxic Cerebrosides from the Red Sea Cucumber Holothuria spinifera Supported by In-Silico Studies. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E405. [PMID: 32752177 PMCID: PMC7460232 DOI: 10.3390/md18080405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioactivity-guided fractionation of a methanolic extract of the Red Sea cucumber Holothuria spinifera and LC-HRESIMS-assisted dereplication resulted in the isolation of four compounds, three new cerebrosides, spiniferosides A (1), B (2), and C (3), and cholesterol sulfate (4). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were established on the basis of their 1D NMR and HRMS spectral data. Metabolic profiling of the H. spinifera extract indicated the presence of diverse secondary metabolites, mostly hydroxy fatty acids, diterpenes, triterpenes, and cerebrosides. The isolated compounds were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicities against the breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cell line. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 displayed promising cytotoxic activities against MCF-7 cells, with IC50 values of 13.83, 8.13, 8.27, and 35.56 µM, respectively, compared to that of the standard drug doxorubicin (IC50 8.64 µM). Additionally, docking studies were performed for compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 to elucidate their binding interactions with the active site of the SET protein, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which could explain their cytotoxic activity. This study highlights the important role of these metabolites in the defense mechanism of the sea cucumber against fouling organisms and the potential uses of these active molecules in the design of new anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reda F A Abdelhameed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Enas E Eltamany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Dina M Hal
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Amany K Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Asmaa M AboulMagd
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni Suef 62513, Egypt
| | - Tarfah Al-Warhi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 13414, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khayrya A Youssif
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Modern University for Technology and Information, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Adel M Abd El-Kader
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, New Minia 61111, Egypt
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
| | - Hashim A Hassanean
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Shaimaa Fayez
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Gerhard Bringmann
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Safwat A Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, New Minia 61111, Egypt
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt
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The catalytic mechanism of sulfoxide synthases. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2020; 59:111-118. [PMID: 32726707 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sulfoxide synthases are non-heme iron enzymes that catalyze oxidative carbonsulfur bond formation in the biosynthesis of thiohistidines such as ergothioneine and ovothiol. The catalytic mechanism of these enzymes has been studied by protein crystallography, steady-state kinetics, non-natural amino acid incorporation and computational modeling. This review discusses the current status of this research and also highlights similarities between the CS bond forming activity of sulfoxide synthases with that of synthetic coordination compounds.
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Histochemical detection of free thiols in glandular cells and tissues of different marine Polychaeta. Histochem Cell Biol 2020; 154:315-325. [PMID: 32507976 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-020-01889-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Either through differentiated glands or specialised individual cells, the coating epithelia of soft-bodied marine invertebrates are responsible for the secretion of a broad span of peptidic substances, from protective mucins to biocides. These secretions are characterised by the presence of cysteine-rich proteins and peptides, rendering a distinct histochemical signature of secretory epithelia. Through a histochemical procedure for fluorescence microscopy in paraffin sections, we performed a comparative assessment of the distribution of thiol-rich compounds in multiple epithelia of different species of intertidal Polychaeta, which revealed distinctive patterns of distribution that closely relate to ecology, morphoanatomy and physiology. The presence of free thiols was notorious in mucocytes and enzyme-plus toxin-secreting cells. Consequently, strong signals were recorded in the mucocytes of the parapodia of Nereis splendida, the epidermis and pharynx epithelium of Mysta picta and the venom glands of Glycera alba. The findings show an investment in mucus secretion in foragers such as Nereis and Mysta, especially the latter, which is not a native burrower, as a protective response and as lubricant for locomotion. Additionally, nereidids are believed to secret integumentary toxins for defence. On the other hand, Glycera is an ambush predatorial burrower whose behaviour entirely revolves around the delivery of venom making use of its four jaws. The results showed that the detection of thiol-rich compounds in histological sections can be a tool to identify potential toxin secretion and delivery structures, with important consequences for the bioprospecting of novel bioreactives from marine invertebrates for the purpose of drug discovery.
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Milito A, Castellano I, Burn R, Seebeck FP, Brunet C, Palumbo A. First evidence of ovothiol biosynthesis in marine diatoms. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 152:680-688. [PMID: 31935446 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Ovothiols are histidine-derived thiols that are receiving a great interest for their biological activities in human model systems. Thanks to the position of the thiol group on the imidazole ring of histidine, these compounds exhibit unusual antioxidant properties. They have been revealing a very promising pharmacological potential due to their anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as anti-fibrotic activities not always related to their antioxidant power. Ovothiols occur in three differentially methylated forms (A, B and C), isolated from ovary, eggs and biological fluids of many marine invertebrates, mollusks, microalgae, and pathogenic protozoa. These molecules are synthesized by two enzymes: the sulfoxide synthase OvoA and the sulfoxide lyase OvoB. OvoA catalyzes the insertion of the sulfur atom of cysteine on the imidazole ring of histidine, leading to the formation of a sulfoxide intermediate. This is then cleaved by OvoB, giving 5-thiohistidine, finally methylated on the imidazole ring thanks to the methyltransferase domain of OvoA. Recent studies have shown that OvoA homologs are encoded in a wide variety of genomes suggesting that ovothiol biosynthesis is much more widespread in nature than initially thought. Here we have investigated the OvoA occurrence in diatoms, one of the most abundant group of microalgae, dominating marine and freshwater environments. They are considered a very good model system for both biology/photophysiology studies and for biotechnological applications. We have performed comparative sequence and phylogenetic analyses of OvoA from diatoms, highlighting a high degree of conservation of the canonical domain architecture in the analyzed species, as well as a clear clustering of OvoA in the two different morphological groups, i.e. centric and pennate diatoms. The in silico analyses have also revealed that OvoA gene expression is modulated by growth conditions. More importantly, we have characterized the thiol fraction from cultures of the coastal centric diatom Skeletonema marinoi, providing the first evidence of ovothiol B biosynthesis in diatoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Reto Burn
- Dept. of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Christophe Brunet
- Dept. of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy.
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42
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Gametogenesis-Related Fluctuations in Ovothiol Levels in the Mantle of Mussels from Different Estuaries: Fighting Oxidative Stress for Spawning in Polluted Waters. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10030373. [PMID: 32121166 PMCID: PMC7175103 DOI: 10.3390/biom10030373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species present a challenge for marine organisms releasing gametes into the water. Thiol-containing molecules protect cells against oxidative stress, and ovothiol (OSH), an antioxidant-reducing mercaptohistidine, has been described as especially relevant in the oocytes of marine invertebrates. Ovothiol synthase (ovoA), in charge of the first step in OSH synthesis, was sequenced in mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Transcription levels of ovoA in mantle did not significantly change along the reproductive cycle. No alterations of ovoA transcription were observed after a laboratory copper (10 µg/L) exposure or in mussels captured in a highly polluted site. Conversely, the metabolomic analysis of the hydrophilic metabolite content in mantle clearly classified mussels according to their site of origin, especially at the most advanced stages of oogenesis. Quantification of OSH-A and -B and glutathione (GSH), revealed stable levels in mantle at early gametogenesis in the unpolluted sampling site, but a strong increase in female mantle previous to spawning in the polluted site. These increased concentrations under pollution suggest that OSH-A accumulates along oogenesis, independent of gene transcription regulation. The concerted accumulation of OSH-A and GSH suggests the building of a balanced cellular redox-system to scavenge ROS produced in the oocyte before and during fertilization.
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43
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Goncharenko KV, Flückiger S, Liao C, Lim D, Stampfli AR, Seebeck FP. Selenocysteine as a Substrate, an Inhibitor and a Mechanistic Probe for Bacterial and Fungal Iron-Dependent Sulfoxide Synthases. Chemistry 2020; 26:1328-1334. [PMID: 31545545 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201903898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Sulfoxide synthases are non-heme iron enzymes that participate in the biosynthesis of thiohistidines, such as ergothioneine and ovothiol A. The sulfoxide synthase EgtB from Chloracidobacterium thermophilum (CthEgtB) catalyzes oxidative coupling between the side chains of N-α-trimethyl histidine (TMH) and cysteine (Cys) in a reaction that entails complete reduction of molecular oxygen, carbon-sulfur (C-S) and sulfur-oxygen (S-O) bond formation as well as carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bond cleavage. In this report, we show that CthEgtB and other bacterial sulfoxide synthases cannot efficiently accept selenocysteine (SeCys) as a substrate in place of cysteine. In contrast, the sulfoxide synthase from the filamentous fungus Chaetomium thermophilum (CthEgt1) catalyzes C-S and C-Se bond formation at almost equal efficiency. We discuss evidence suggesting that this functional difference between bacterial and fungal sulfoxide synthases emerges from different modes of oxygen activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina V Goncharenko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Flückiger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cangsong Liao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Lim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anja R Stampfli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florian P Seebeck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
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44
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Hamidi M, Kozani PS, Kozani PS, Pierre G, Michaud P, Delattre C. Marine Bacteria versus Microalgae: Who Is the Best for Biotechnological Production of Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Properties and Other Biological Applications? Mar Drugs 2019; 18:E28. [PMID: 31905716 PMCID: PMC7024282 DOI: 10.3390/md18010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity play remarkable roles in the prevention of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. ROS, which are formed by different pathways, have various pathological influences such as DNA damage, carcinogenesis, and cellular degeneration. Incremental demands have prompted the search for newer and alternative resources of natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. The marine environment encompasses almost three-quarters of our planet and is home to many eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms. Because of extreme physical and chemical conditions, the marine environment is a rich source of chemical and biological diversity, and marine microorganisms have high potential as a source of commercially interesting compounds with various pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical applications. Bacteria and microalgae are the most important producers of valuable molecules including antioxidant enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase and catalase) and antioxidant substances (such as carotenoids, exopolysaccharides, and bioactive peptides) with various valuable biological properties and applications. Here, we review the current knowledge of these bioactive compounds while highlighting their antioxidant properties, production yield, health-related benefits, and potential applications in various biological and industrial fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Hamidi
- Food and Drug Research Center, Vice-Chancellery of Food and Drug, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht P.O. Box 41446/66949, Iran;
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht P.O. Box 44771/66595, Iran;
| | - Pouya Safarzadeh Kozani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht P.O. Box 44771/66595, Iran;
| | - Pooria Safarzadeh Kozani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran P.O. Box 14115/111, Iran;
| | - Guillaume Pierre
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, SIGMA Clermont, Institut Pascal, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (G.P.); (P.M.)
| | - Philippe Michaud
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, SIGMA Clermont, Institut Pascal, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (G.P.); (P.M.)
| | - Cédric Delattre
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, SIGMA Clermont, Institut Pascal, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (G.P.); (P.M.)
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
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Abstract
Natural nonproteinogenic amino acids vastly outnumber the well-known 22 proteinogenic amino acids. Such amino acids are generated in specialized metabolic pathways. In these pathways, diverse biosynthetic transformations, ranging from isomerizations to the stereospecific functionalization of C-H bonds, are employed to generate structural diversity. The resulting nonproteinogenic amino acids can be integrated into more complex natural products. Here we review recently discovered biosynthetic routes to freestanding nonproteinogenic α-amino acids, with an emphasis on work reported between 2013 and mid-2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason B Hedges
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Katherine S Ryan
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada
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46
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Gerdol M, Sollitto M, Pallavicini A, Castellano I. The complex evolutionary history of sulfoxide synthase in ovothiol biosynthesis. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191812. [PMID: 31771466 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfoxide synthases are enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of small sulfur-containing natural products. Their enzymatic activity represents a unique sulfur transfer strategy in nature that is the insertion of a sulfur atom on the imidazole ring of histidine. To date, only two enzymes are known to carry out this function: the sulfoxide synthase EgtB, involved in the biosynthesis of ergothioneine in fungi and bacteria, and the 5-histidylcysteine sulfoxide synthase OvoA, involved in the biosynthesis of ovothiols, found in the eggs and biological fluids of marine invertebrates, some proteobacteria and protists. In particular, ovothiols, thanks to their unique redox properties, are probably the most intriguing marine sulfur-containing molecules. Although they have long been considered as cellular protective molecules, new evidence suggest that their biological activities and ecological role might be more complex than originally thought. Here, we investigate the evolutionary history of OvoA in Metazoa, reporting its monophyletic ancient origins, which could be traced back to the latest common ancestor of Choanozoa. Nevertheless, we show that OvoA is missing in several major extant taxa and we discuss this patchy distribution in the light of the massive genome reduction events documented in Metazoa. We also highlight two interesting cases of secondary acquisition through horizontal gene transfer, which occurred in hydrozoans and bdelloid rotifers. The evolutionary success of this metabolic pathway is probably ascribable to its role in the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, which enables organisms to survive in different environmental niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Sollitto
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alberto Pallavicini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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47
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Milito A, Brancaccio M, Lisurek M, Masullo M, Palumbo A, Castellano I. Probing the Interactions of Sulfur-Containing Histidine Compounds with Human Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17120650. [PMID: 31757046 PMCID: PMC6949936 DOI: 10.3390/md17120650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is a cell surface enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism and maintenance of redox homeostasis. High expression of GGT on tumor cells is associated with an increase of cell proliferation and resistance against chemotherapy. GGT inhibitors that have been evaluated in clinical trials are too toxic for human use. We have previously identified ovothiols, 5(Nπ)-methyl-thiohistidines of marine origin, as non-competitive-like inhibitors of GGT that are more potent than the known GGT inhibitor, 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON), and are not toxic for human embryonic cells. We extended these studies to the desmethylated form of ovothiol, 5-thiohistidine, and confirmed that this ovothiol derivative also acts as a non-competitive-like GGT inhibitor, with a potency comparable to ovothiol. We also found that both 5-thiohistidine derivatives act as reversible GGT inhibitors compared to the irreversible DON. Finally, we probed the interactions of 5-thiohistidines with GGT by docking analysis and compared them with the 2-thiohistidine ergothioneine, the physiological substrate glutathione, and the DON inhibitor. Overall, our results provide new insight for further development of 5-thiohistidine derivatives as therapeutics for GGT-positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Mariarita Brancaccio
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Michael Lisurek
- Department of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, 13125 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Mariorosario Masullo
- Department of Human Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy;
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-5833206
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48
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Natural Sulfur-Containing Compounds: An Alternative Therapeutic Strategy against Liver Fibrosis. Cells 2019; 8:cells8111356. [PMID: 31671675 PMCID: PMC6929087 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a pathophysiologic process involving the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins as collagen deposition. Advanced liver fibrosis can evolve in cirrhosis, portal hypertension and often requires liver transplantation. At the cellular level, hepatic fibrosis involves the activation of hepatic stellate cells and their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts. Numerous pro-fibrogenic mediators including the transforming growth factor-β1, the platelet-derived growth factor, endothelin-1, toll-like receptor 4, and reactive oxygen species are key players in this process. Knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis development need to be extended to find novel therapeutic strategies. Antifibrotic therapies aim to inhibit the accumulation of fibrogenic cells and/or prevent the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Natural products from terrestrial and marine sources, including sulfur-containing compounds, exhibit promising activities for the treatment of fibrotic pathology. Although many therapeutic interventions are effective in experimental models of liver fibrosis, their efficacy and safety in humans are largely unknown. This review aims to provide a reference collection on experimentally tested natural anti-fibrotic compounds, with particular attention on sulfur-containing molecules. Their chemical structure, sources, mode of action, molecular targets, and pharmacological activity in the treatment of liver disease will be discussed.
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Abstract
Secondary metabolites are often considered within the remit of bacterial or plant research, but animals also contain a plethora of these molecules with important functional roles. Classical feeding studies demonstrate that, whereas some are derived from diet, many of these compounds are made within the animals. In the past 15 years, the genetic and biochemical origin of several animal natural products has been traced to partnerships with symbiotic bacteria. More recently, a number of animal genome-encoded pathways to microbe-like natural products have come to light. These pathways are sometimes horizontally acquired from bacteria, but more commonly they unveil a new and diverse animal biochemistry. In this review, we highlight recent examples of characterized animal biosynthetic enzymes that reveal an unanticipated breadth and intricacy in animal secondary metabolism. The results so far suggest that there may be an immense diversity of animal small molecules and biosynthetic enzymes awaiting discovery. This biosynthetic dark matter is just beginning to be understood, providing a relatively untapped frontier for discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Torres
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Eric W Schmidt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
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Cytotoxic Potential of the Coelomic Fluid Extracted from the Sea Cucumber Holothuria tubulosa against Triple-Negative MDA-MB231 Breast Cancer Cells. BIOLOGY 2019; 8:biology8040076. [PMID: 31600896 PMCID: PMC6955747 DOI: 10.3390/biology8040076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence has demonstrated that the extracts of different holothurian species exert beneficial effects on human health. Triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) are highly malignant tumors that present a poor prognosis due to the lack of effective targeted therapies. In the attempt to identify novel compounds that might counteract TNBC cell growth, we studied the effect of the exposure of the TNBC cell line MDA-MB231 to total and filtered aqueous extracts of the coelomic fluid obtained from the sea cucumber Holoturia tubulosa, a widespread species in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, we examined cell viability and proliferative behaviour, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, autophagy, and mitochondrial metabolic/cell redox state. The results obtained indicate that both total and fractionated extracts are potent inhibitors of TNBC cell viability and growth, acting through both an impairment of cell cycle progression and mitochondrial transmembrane potential and a stimulation of cellular autophagy, as demonstrated by the increase of the acidic vesicular organelles and of the intracellular protein markers beclin-1, and total LC3 and LC3-II upon early exposure to the preparations. Identification of the water-soluble bioactive component(s) present in the extract merit further investigation aiming to develop novel prevention and/or treatment agents efficacious against highly metastatic breast carcinomas.
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